Questions
1.Political socialization is the life-long process by which we acquire our underlying values and beliefs about politics and government. Identify an agent(s) of socialization that socialized you the most. Why? How did this agent shape your perspective? Next, identify an agent(s) of socialization that socialized you the least. Why? What is it about this agent that has little influence on how you have been politically socialized?
2.Modern polling in America is relatively young however it has quickly become an essential piece of the structure of American government. List and explain the steps polling companies take when conducting a poll. How do you know if the poll is accurate? How do they conduct the poll? Are there any problems in polling?
3.There are several experiences that affect public opinion which can cause an idealogical shift to occur. Explain which one of the two methods to form an opinion best explains why Trump won the election in 2016. How do you think those experiences caused an idealogical shift in America?
4.Public opinion is statistical data collected by polling companies that reveal how Americans feel about things such as our government. Explain how public opinion influences our governments officials like; the President, the Congress, the Supreme Court, Governors or Mayors. Do any of these officials make policy decisions driven by public opinion polling ? Whether you argue they do or don’t, provide an example of this within the last year (September 2019-September 2020).
